Sisterhood Across Traditions: Sunita Viswanath at the Installation of Dean Winnie Varghese

On September 27, 2025, Sunita Viswanath stood in the hallowed nave of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, not as a distant onlooker but as an honored participant in an interfaith moment: she would deliver the Hindu reading during the installation ceremony of the 12th Dean of the Cathedral, the Very Reverend Winnie Varghese. More on Twitter/X

This moment—part ritual, part celebration, part bridge-building—encapsulated both the gravitas of ecclesiastical tradition and the openness of pluralism. Below is a reflection on Sunita Viswanath’s role, her journey, and what this symbolic act means in a time when faith and public life are deeply intertwined.